Automatic packing apparatus



Dec. 8, 1953 M. E. FRANCISCO I I AUTOMATIC PACKING APPARATUS 4Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 5, 1950 MARSHALL E. FRANCISCO lNl/LNTO/iHUEBNER, BEE'HLER, WORRE'L,

HE 'RZ/G 8 CALDWELL A TTORNEYS Dec. 8, 1953 M. E. FRANCISCO 2,661,383

AUTOMATIC PACKING APPARATUS Filed April 5, 1950 4 Sheets-Sheet 2INVENTOR HUEBNER, BEEHLERfWO/PREL,

776.3. HERZ/G a CALDWELL ATTORNEYS MARSHALL E. FRANCISCO Dec. 8. 1953ME. FRANCISCO T AUTOMATIC PACKING APPARATUS 4 Sheets-Shet 3 Filed April5, 1950 MARSHALL E FRANCISCO /NVEN7'O/? ccccccccc S "m 0 W M W D 0 ..Lrmun m8 am a N E w H Dec. 8, 1953 Filed April 5, 1950 M. E. FRANCISCOAUTOMATIC PACKING APPARATUS 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 MARSHALL E. FRANCISCOINVENTOR HERZ/G 8 CALDWELL HUEBNER, BEEHLER, WORREL,

Patented Dec. 8, 1953 2,661,885; AUTOMATIC PAoKINd ni riiitlijrusMarshall E. Francisco, JEE,

Application April 5, 1950, S erial No. 154,099

The present inventionrelates to packing apparatus and more particularlyto an automatic packingdevice adaptedto receive a plurality of articlestobe packed and to deposit the same in a: container therefor in.predetermined attitudes and: relations, as for-display purposes- Theproblems whichthe present invention has overcome aresconveniently.illustrated byreference to the packing. of stuffed olives in transparentglass bottles. .Stuifed olives are generally received in .bulkfromvarious Southern European sources and hand packed in the-UnitedStatesinto the small glass bottles ofthe-type generally displayed ingrocery stores, .delicatessen stores, and the like..Conventionally,-theolivesare selected from bulkand, placed by handwiththe aidof tweezers in the bottles with the stufilng outwardly disposedand faced against the bottle walls so as exteriorly to..present asmooth. and pleasingappearance. The olives are circularly arranged inthe bottles and compacted, so vthatby their ownresilience in.thecircular arrangement, firm engagement with the walls of thebottlesismaintained. Successively superimposedcircular layers of theolives areusually positionedin. the containerto provide vertical alignment ofcorresponding olives ineach layer in stackedarrangement. This isa-tedious and expensive processimposing a labor-charge. on the finishedproductcomprising a substantial portion of the total cost of .eachbottle of olives.

Although uniformity .of resultsis desirableand greaterspeed and economyof packing has been a continuous objective since the .marketing ofstuffed olives in this manner originated, it has heretofore beenconsidered impossible. mechanically to perform the packing operationsbecause of the delicacy of the olives .andtheir stufiing, theverylimited space within. the containersqin which to perform the packingoperations, and the precise fitting of the olives so that by their. ownresilience in their circular arrangements each olive will be urgedradially outwardlywithapressure appropriate to achieve the desiredfacing of hev fiin a a tlthewalls of the containers".. nn object of thepresent inventioneis more economically to make available to consumers,stuffed olives and-theiike heretofore requiring tedious and expensivehand packing operations.

-Another object is to minimize the expenses and wasted time incident tothe packing offruit and the likerby handin-containers therefor underconditions requiringrpredetermined ordered arrangementof the fruit andproper facing thereof, asfordisplay.purposes.- r v v ,v y o Anotherobject is automatically and mechanically to pack articles in selectednumbers in predetermined relation and attitude in containers providedtherefor. Another object is to provide a mechanical packingaid adaptedsimultaneously to position aplu-- rality of articles in predeterminedcircular arrangement in a container therefor and upon release of thearticles in the containers to urge the sameradially outwardly.

Another object is to provide improved releasable holding means forfruit-and the like adapted dependably to support and release the samewith a minimum of damage thereto.- e

. Other objects areto provide improved elements and-arrangements thereofin a device of the characterv and for the purposes set forth that isdependable in operation, economical to produce and rapid in theperformance of its packing function.

Further objects and advantages will become apparent in the subsequentdescription in the specification...

In the drawings:

llig. 1.is a -side. elevationof a device for packing olives and. thelike. inbottles therefor embodying the principlesof the presentinvention, showing portions of-thedevice in vertical section forillustrative convenience. I

Fig. 2..is afragmentary enlarged side elevation of the device shown inFig; 1 illustrating an olive holding anddepositing subassembly thereof,as seen-at .a loading station adapted to receive olives andthelike. Fig.3 is a side elevation o in Fig. 2 shown extended into a containerillustrated in verticaLseetion and positioning olives in a first;layer..therein. e.

Fig.3 4 is a side elevation of the structure shown- Fig.7 is..ahorizontal transverse-section of the subassemblytaken dnline 1-1 of Fig.2.

Fig. 8 is an end view of the subassembly illus trating the means forresiliently holding and ejecting the olives. Fig. {9 is a fragmentaryperspective view of the lower endof an eje or portion of the oliveholdmg and depositing ubasseinbly. H,

Rig. 10 is afragmentary side elevation .6"

olive noidiii'g and ejecting subassembly 'niiist'it f the structureshown ing a modified form adapted concurrently to pack two layers of twoolives each with the olives of each layer in substantial alignment andin ninety degree relation to the olives of the other layer.

Fig. 11 is a side elevation of the fragmentary structure of Fig. viewedat a position ninety degrees removed from the position viewed in Fig.10.

Fig. 12 is an end view of the structure of Figs. 10 and 11, as viewedfromline i2-l-2 of Fig. 10.

Fig. l3is a fragmentary side elevation of an olive holding and ejectingsubassembly illustrating a further modified form adapted concurrently topack two layers of three olives each with the olives of each layer inone hundred twenty degree relation and in sixty degree relation withadjacent i f olives of the other layer.

as viewed from line l4l4 thereof.

Provided for descriptive clarity, Fig. is a side elevationof a bottle ofstuffed'Qlives as results from employment of'the'olive holding andejecting subassembly of Figs. 1 to 9 inclusive.

-Fi 16 is aiside elevation of a bottle of stuffed olivesjas resultsfromempioyment of the olive holding andejecting structure of Figs. 10 to12 inclusive.

. .Fig. 17 is a horizontal section of theolivepack shown in Fig. 15 astaken on line !l|l thereof. Referring in greater detail to the drawings:v I n Fig;-1, a' support frame is indicated generallyjat 19 having afloor portion H supported on feet [2. Legs it are upwardly extended fromthe-floor H and formed with inwardly turned brackets Min elevationallyspaced relation to the floor H5 A table top 15 is rested on the bracketsi land secured thereto as by the stub bolts-l6. The table top hasa borell formed therethrough for purposes soon to be described. n endlessconveyor 253 of belt, link, or other suitable form is mounted forsubstantially horizontal travel beneath the table; top i5 on driverollers one-of 'Which is illustrated at 2l. Support rollers 2-2 aretransversely: mounted below the upperrun of the conveyor as in bearing23 supported ;by 5Ql11OW b1OCkS 24 mounted on the floor H. The supportrollers provide dependable maintenance of'articles carried on theconveyor at a;predeterrnined'levely .;In the; device of thepresentinvention, bottles 2 are carried along; the conveyor. 23 to a positionin alignment with the bore ll. The bottles may be retainedagainstcontinued travel with the conyeyor by lubricating the surface ofthe conveyor; and providing any of the well known synchronous holdingmeans as employed in loottlingg capping, labeling, .and casing machines.

Therepbeing vmanyfsuch retaining means well known'in' the art,no'particular form is illustrated inrither drawings. 1

Dependably to position the bottles 28 relative tgthesid edgesof theconveyor to facilitate alignment of the bottles with the bore 11, guides2.9 are mountedbetween the legs was by brackets 30. The guides arespacedto receive the bottles 28 therelgetween and preferably lubricated sothat a minimum of resistance to bottle movement is Qfiered by theguides,

g' lhe preceding structure is essentially conventitinal ems; describedto facilitate explanation of t the present invention throughrepresentation of a suitable operational environment. It is to beunderstood that the preceding structure in no way limits the presentinvention. Any mane yr echan i a s s ivelylqea in 5d makes it desirableto brace the shelf as by -means of a gusset plate 37. gA pillowblockflii is mounted on the shelf 36 as by stub bolts 41 and mounts a crankshaft 42 for horizontal rotational movement. The crank shaft isrotatedby any suitable source of power, not shown. A crank arm 43 is radiallyextended from the crank shaft and provides a rotatable cam follower 4axially parallel to the crank shaft 32' at'the outerend of the crankarm.

"'An upwardly extended bracket 58 is mounted on the shelf 36 as by bolts49 preferably approximately in' the plane of the cam follower M. An

. elongated drive: arm 59 is pivotally mounted on the bracket 38. andprovides an elongated camway. 5!. formed longitudinally thereof whichreceives the cam follower 44 of the crank. arm 43. Rotation of the crankshaft 42 pivotally reciprocates the drive arm 56, the extended end ofwhich;rises and falls at a speed dependent upon the speed of crank shaftrotation.

A bracketboxttl is mounted on the posts 35 and provides a pair ofvertically spacedv slide bearings 56 vertically aligned between the boreI7 and, the extended'e'nd of the drive arm5fl.

A rod 86 is mounted in the slide bearings '56 for-longitudinalslidable.movement. 1 The upper endiof 'the'rod is connected to theextended end ofthe drive arm bya-linklil pivotally connected therebetween. The meansfor mounting the rod fidiand;elevationallyfreciprocating the same justdescribed are'also not intended to limit the de- Vice; of the. presentinvention but merely. to illustrateiasuitabiemountin and driving meansfor the packing device of the present invention, there being innumerablesatisfactory structures for the purpq e. fand evenmanual operation 7being a marked jimprovement over the'prior'art.

The::lowei' 'en'd 'of the rod '68 is provided "with an: enlarged.he'ad:- eaconveniently of circular forrnand. ofjasize adapted freely topassthrough the bore *tlznAsfs'howriin Figs. 2 to"5an'd"B, aplurality'ofipai'rs.ofispaced resilient fingers 64 are; mounted'on'thelhead, as by being soldered org-welded thereto, and endwardlyanddownwar-oily extendediifrom" the rod; The pairs of fingers arearrangeddna generally circular pattern in close: proximity to each other. Asevident in Figs. 10 to 14,. any desired number of pai-rs o'f esrlr trdent innfiigs. ,2. to. 51' inclusive'ly. A

i It u t, l l 5.11. -l ,si 1 11 cross head fl-having radially extendedstops 13 is mounted below the -head sawim the stops 13 located betweenthe -fingers 64- .ofeach. pair, as IIJy 'means-ofa pair of arms. 14integralwith the cross 7 head T2 and-secured -in dependent. relation onthe slide box by screws 15, as shown in g collar Sit-is mounted on therod .60 below the slide block 10, as by. a set screw. 81... A helicalspring 82 is provided-under initialcompression between the slide .blockandthe .collar, thus urging..theJslide-block. andtheflcrosshead 12upwardly with the cross head engagedagainstthe head-63 ofwthe .rod..Suchmelatively retracted position of the cross head-is shown; in Figs.2 and tip- The crosshead. 12, its arms 14, and the s1i'de:.. block f! I!comprise .an. ejector, for articles held between .the. pairs of fingers63 activated by relative movement of 'the fingers and the cross head inopposition to the forces of the compression spring 82.

gagementwith the receptacle H. of the slide block .lflis mounted belowthe table top IS. The detents of thecatch engage the receptacle Hwhen-the-subassemblyis lowered. into a bottle, as shown in Fig, 3,.andupon retraction of the rod 6fliretains the slideiblock 1,0 andthus thecrosshead-JZ in their lower limit of travel until the fingers 64havebeendrawn upwardly alongsidethe stops 13; as shown in Fig, 4,ejecting articles qheld byst e. nge fsfli pr d m relative arrangement;in the bottle, at which time the-compression of the spring 82 overcomesthe resiliency of thecatch 8,5 andthe slide block is; returned upwardlyon the rodretracting the cross head against the head fi3 of the rod andpreconditioning the apparatus for reloading. Modified article packingand releasing structure A modified form of article packing and releasingstructure is shown in Figs. 10 to 12. This modification" is adaptedconcurrently to pack two-layers of two olives each with the-olives .ofeach layer in substantial alignment and in ninety degree relation te thsolives of the otherlayer. As previously described, the rod 60 isprovided with the enlarged head 63 at its lower end. Four pairsoffingers, similar-to the fingers 64,. are downwardly extended from thehead 63 in generallycircular arrangement. Two pairs of finfigersllfladapted to hold two olives orthe like,

alignment at the same level, are downwardly extended from the head adistance appreciably greater than intermediate fingers 9| which areadapted tohold a pair of olives or the like,v in alignment at a somewhat.higher; levelv to rest upon and across olives placed .by the fingers90.

.=.-- -'A'cross head 94 is mounted below. the head -63, as previouslyexplained, ofvtheicross head 12.. The cross head v941 providesdownwardlyextended stops 95 .betweenthe fingers 90 and stops -96.at ahigher level betweenthefingers 9l. In

short, the .stops 95'and 9.6 preferably bear the same elevationalrelationship to their respective fingers 90 and 9| asthe stops (3 bear,to. the finthetrod...

In. the. packing of stuffedolives and like dnto ;.containers therefor,li si desi ab e V. I9 1,1319- vide as visually attractive a pack ofolives in w th. th re .,downwardly by the. s

ejecting means justdescribed is adapted to pack twolayers at a time inthe arrangementoi articles illustrated by the stuffed olives 91in Fig.16- sew ha modified jorrn'of'drticle packing and re leasing structure vfurther modificationof the article pa ent and ejecting ,struct iire isillustrated in Figs. .13 and; 14 adapted concurrently to pack twoilayersoi three olives veachwiththe olives of eac'h'lay'er in one hundredtwenty degree relation to each other and in sixty degree relation toadjacent olives of their adjaee'rit layer. .In this form six pairs offingers. are mounted on the head 63 in generally circular arrangementand enctvaiely and downwardly extended therefrom. Three pairs of fingersindicated ,at Iflil are downwardly extended similarly to the fingers 90.in the mom-- fied form just described. {Intermediate'the pairs: offingers Hi5 shorter, rs of fingers llflflisimil'ar t0 fingers ill areprovi ed; Across head [82 ismounted below the head 53' on the arms H5 inthe previously described'mannen. j' l'he crossweirdly .extendedj stopshead I02. provides do I v ers'of. each of" the pairs I03 intermediatethe fing "I00 thereofand relatively" highers'tops Ill; betweenthe'fingers or each, of. thefpai'rs Hi i @When the'first and second,mo'difiedjforms of. theja'rticle packing and. ejectingfstructurej areemployed in means for vertically reciprocatingthe same to andulfrom,bottles. 28' Jsuccess iv'e1 y lo cated at a packing station retractionofjth'e fingers 90, 9|, I09. and El! prierjtofretraction of theirrespectiVestQps95,196, .183, and l flfef- .fectively. ejects olives.orhthe'r articles held by the .fingers in predetermined arrangement inthe bottles. i r

Operation The operation of the present invention is,believed to beclearly: apparent and is briefly summarized at this point. Bottles 28are successively located at a predetermined packing station by theconveyor 20,.oranyiother suitablemanual, mechanical. or other. means,Olives, cherries, pearl onions,j or other articles, to bepacked areinserted between the fingers B4, 9t, 9!, 193, and Illl (dependentupon-the type of packdesired) when the ,rod. 6il;is,in its elevatedposition, The inserting of, the articles, between the fingers maybemanually .accomplished or by any suitable auxiliary mechanism notshown. When the fingers are loaded, ro t ation o ithe; crankshaft d2lowers, the rod 60 into a bottle 23 1ocated at the loading station,until he ends cf the fingers closely approach the bottom-of the bottle.Upon return movement of the rod the detents 3610i the catch. 85engage;in: the receptacle H. of the slide block and retaintheslide,block and the crosshead 12, 94 or lfiz connected thereto in its lowerlimit of travelpntilupward movement of the rod hasdrawn';t h e; fingersalongside their respective steps 13, 95, 916 103, or I04, ejecting thearticles from between the fingers, as shown fcOnlcDoL tion 68 is drawnbetween'the l'lin'f'n afttfie times as fast, in

articles, urging the same endwarclly outwardly Whenstuffed olivesarepacked in the bottle. I by the device of the present invention, they areloaded between the fingers with the .pimient'o or suificiently to drawthe frusto-conical portion 68 thereof from between the articles and urgethe same outwardly, proper positioning of the collar 80 on the rod 60causes compression of the spring 82 to overcome the resilience of thecatch 85 releasing the slide block 10 and retracting the if stops underthe urging of'the spring 82 against the head 63 and preconditioning thestructure for reloading upon retraction from the bottle into theposition shown. in Fig. 1. v

To load successive layers into the bottles, the bottles are eitherconveyed to successive loading stations at which the packing andejecting structure is successively lowered into the bottles a distanceless than the previously deposited layers or the bottles are completelyloaded at a given station which provides for relative movement of thebottleand the packing mechanism, whereby successive layers arepositioned therein. Such structures having the stepped elevation ordepression of bottles and the stepped elevation of a mechanism utilizedwith such bottles are well known in the bottle filling, capping andsealing arts and thus are not described nor shown herein. Successiveoperation of the subassembly shown in Figs. 2 to 5 to pack stuffedolives 9'! into a bottle 28 achieves the pack shown in Fig. 15, therebeing four olives in each layer and corresponding olives of superimposedlayers being aligned. As shown in Fig. 17, the resilience of the olivesin their circular arrangement maintains them in position and urges eacholive radially outwardly for facing engagement with the side of thebottle. After the olives are packed in the bottles, they are coveredwith a fluid and the bottles sealed in any suitable manner, as by caps"16.

The employment of the packing and ejecting structure of Figs. 10 to 12to pack stuffed olives 91 achieves a pack of the type shown in Fig. 16in which there aretwo aligned olives in each layer and adjacent layershave their aligned.

olives disposed in right angular relation.- The pack shown in Fig. 16 isloaded two layers at a time and corresponding olives of alternate layersare vertically aligned.

8 v ing ten to fifteen times the output in a day attainable byconventional hand packing methods. The greater packing speedgreatlyreduces. the labor cost incident to hand packing and thus makesavailable stuffed olives and the like packed in the described manner ata materially reduced price.

Although the invention has been herein shown and described in what isconceived to be the most practical and preferred method and embodiment,it is recognized that departures may be made therefrom within the scopeof the invention, which is not to be limited to the details disclosedherein but is to be accorded the full scope of the claims so as toembrace any and all equivalent devices and structures.

Having described 'my invention, what I.claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent is: l. A packing device, adapted simultaneously toplace a, plurality of articles in predetermined cir' cular arrangementina container therefor and to It is believed that the pack resultantfrom the structures of Figures 13 and 14 is self-evident.

'Each layer provides three olives in one hundred twenty degree relationwith adjacent layers having their corresponding olives rested interme-:.diate the olives of the lower layer. s

Although frequent reference has been made iherein to the packing ofolives, it is tobe understood that the present invention is not limitedthereto, being excellently adapted to the packing of cherries, grapes,pearl onions, plums, anchovycaper rolls, and other articles. Whether thepacking and ejecting structures are pneumatically, electrically,mechanically, as demonstratedin Fig. 1, or manually operated, thepresent invention successfully achieves a more rapid packing and aresultant pack of greater uniformity. For example, even hand operationof the device of the present invention permits a packer to pack manyactual tests frequently achiev- 5 ment thereonbetween urge the articlesradially outwardly in their circular arrangement, comprising anelongatedrod, a spreader having an enlarged end portion endwardlyextended from the rod, a plurality of fingers endwardly extended fromthe rod in'a circular arrangement concentrically of the spreaderadapted. to receive articles therebetween, means mounting the rod andendwardly reciprocating the same between a loading station and a packingstation, and means responsive to endward reciprocation of the rod forrestraining the articles at the packing station upon return movement ofthe rod therefrom while the fingers are withdrawn from the articles andthe enlarged end of the spreader is withdrawn from between the circulararrangement of said articles urging said articles radially outwardly oftheir circular arrangement. l

2. An automatic packing device adapted simultaneously to place aplurality of articles .in predetermined relation in containers thereforcomprising an elongated member, a spreader endwardly extended from themember and termimating in an enlarged end portion, a plurality of pairsof elongated spring fingers endwardly-extended from the member in asubstantially circular arrangement concentrically of the spreader, meanshaving driving connection with the member adapted reciprocally toposition the same so as to carry the fingers and spreader simultaneouslyback and forth between predetermined loading and packing stations, andmeans for restraining the articles at the packing station during returnmovement of the fingerstoward the loacL'ng station until said articlesare removed irom the fingers and thrust radiallyby movement of theenlarged end of the spreader upwardly therebetween.

3. An automatic olive packing device comprising an elongated rod, framemeans mounting the rod for reciprocal longitudinal travel betweenpredetermined limits, a spreader integral with the rod and endwardlyextended therefrom terminating in an endwardly enlarged frustoconicalportion, a plurality of pairs of spaced resilientfingers endwardlyextended from the rod concentrically of the spreader, each pair offingers in cooperation with the spreader being adapted releasably tohold an olive therebetween in predetermined relation to olivesheldbetw'een the spreader and other pairs of fingers, an ejector havingstops disposed between the fingers slidably mounted on the rod forreciprocal movean extended position with 9. the stops adjacent totheends of the fingers and a "retracted 'positionwith "the stops adjacent' to theend" of the rod from which the fingers are entefidedi"resilient means mounted on the rod.

engagement with the'ejectorurgingthe ejector into retractedpositionfsaid ejector being formed with acatch receptacle a sidethreoffand "a resilient catch mounted in the frame means for engagementwith the receptacle of the'ejctorto restrain the ejector against returnmovement 1, thereof with the rod froirrthelimit of travel'in thedirection of finger extension;

lJIn' apacking devicefthe combination of means for resilientlyelaspingaplurality'of arti- Qles to be packed and releasably supporting thearticles in a predeterminedgenerally annular arene a a dp ea er mciumtary relation with theclasping means concentrically of thepredetermined annular arrangement of the articles and providing afrusto-coniv calend portion adjacent to "the clasping means,

mounted on the mounting member and-having an enlarged extended end ofsubstantially frustoconical form, cooperative'pairs' of elongatedjuxtapositioned concave spring fingers mounted on .1

the mounting member and extended therefrom in substantially parallelrelation to the spreader in a f ii staht auy' c rchlararrangemehtconcen- -any about the spreader, the fingers of each pair being insubstantially symmetrical relation to a lineradial to the spreaderpassed there betw en: and an'ejector slidal oly mounted on the spreaderfor reciprocal movement longitudinally thereof {having portions extendedbetween the fingers of each pair.

'mounting member, an elongated rod-like spreader 1h an automatic packingdevice having a support frame, an elongated rod slidably mountin asubstantially erect position in the frame, driving means connected tothe rod for vertical reciprocation thereof between predetermined up- Ipier and lower limits of travel, a rod-like spreader downwardly extendedfrom the rod, spring fingers Y inountedon the rod for'iinitaryelevational inovernent therewith in an arrangement concentric tothespread er and defining article receiving compartrnents therebetweenradially related to the spreader, thespreader having a lowerendproviding article engaging surfaces directeddownward- 1t and "radiallyof the spreader adjacent to the compartments, a crossheadhaving-portions extended between the fingers slidably mounted on thespreader, a slide block slidably mounted on the rod'in spaced relationto the lower'end thereof," arins interconnecting the'crosshead and theslide block in predetermined spacedrelation, a collar-"mounted on therod intermediate the slide block and the lower end of the roda compres-'sion' spring mounted in circumscribing relation on the rod between thecollar and. the slide block urging the slide block upwardly n the rod,said u slide "block having a detent receptacle formed therein, and aresilient detent mounted in the rame i position n ase ble w h t dete i'epta'cle at the lower'limitoffjtravel ofther'od.

ing adapted to place a spreader tha plurality of articles inpredeteihiihd rflatiorf incontain'ers therefor; a ro d infounted' in asubstantially erect position-in tlie franiefmean's for"elevationallyreciprocating the the "between predetermined upper" andlower limits "of" avel, a'"plurality of pairs of spacedrsilient fingersdownwardly extended from the rod insubstantiallybircular arrangement/thefingers of each pairb'eing adapted resiliently th'hold a'n artieietherebetween in predetermined relation to articlesheld"by "the otherfingers, a spreader dowriwardlyextended from the rod concentrically'cjfthe'iingers andhaving a downwardly enlarged frus'to-cbnica'l 'elid ioitiom' an ejector having st ops di "'s'd between the fingers slidablymountedonthe 'rod rpr relative mdvementthereon betw en upper limit withthe stops ad acent to th upper-ends ofthe 'fingersanda lower limit Withfingers, resilient nieans mounted "on the rod in ejectorengagement'iirging the ejector upward lyf'b i the rod; and a resilientlyreleasable eatch moiintediii the fraifne in a position "engagea-b e tv'ththe ejector atthe' lower limit of trave1 o'fthe fed adaptec'l'terestrain the ejector against upward hihyementthereofwith the roduntil-said rod is drawn upwardly a distance suflicient 'tocarry' thelower ends'of the fingersinto adjacent relation to thestohsana're1easethe articles held by the '81 an automatic packing device having asupport fran'ie; anelbhgat'ed rod slidably mdlint- 'd i'na substantiallyerect position in the" frame, driving -nneanst6nriie ited to the rod forvertieal reciprocation therecif between predetermindupper aha lower 1oft'ravel; a rod like s'preader downwardly exten ed'from the rod havinga'suhstahtially frustd c'ohical enlarged lower endycbofieratitepairs'oi" wr'ieateq spring n g'e'r mountt eiobland'"-downwarclly"extended therefrond m s" tantially' 'parallel relation to thesubstantially circular arrangcinent concentric to the spreader," thefingers-cream pair Theing in substantially symmetrical relation toalineraigliahofthe spreader passedtherehetjiveenf a crossheadmavingportions "extended betweenfingeifshf'each pair slidably mountedthe-"spreader, slide block slidably mounted (in the row upwardly'spaced' relationto the ib'wwehd thereo'ffapair of arms interconnecthisthecrofs'shad arid the slide'block in predeterm i lf'd spacd relatifili,a collar fiziedy mounted tithe i" ifitrmediate the Slide b10ck ah'd"tlie lowerend oftherod a compressionspring'inountcirlcnmseribifig'relation on the' rod between the collar-afid "the" slide block urgingthe' sli de hid- 1; u ai dly eh therod todraw the ctossheau into eriga eptwith the lower end of the rod,

said sli hatin ga detentreceptacle fgirined therein-arid r efsili'eritlyreleasable dtent mountedin the frame in'aposition engageable with theathtreeeptane at the lower limit or trav'el'kjf the rod adaptedtorestrain the slide block against up 'ard "overrient thereof with therod 'uponupnlpt tli i af i .a met s ki g device h ving a a el n ed r d il d b in ui thstops adjacent to the lower ends of the he ri m th lower if i tive pairs ofelongated'sprlng fingers mounted on the rod anddownwardly extended therefrom in substantially parallel; relation to thespreader ,in a substantially annular arrangement concentrio to thespreader, the fingers of each pair being in substantially symmetricalrelation to a line radial of the spreader passed therebetween,alternately successive pairs of the fingers in the .annular arrangementdefining article receiving compartments radially related to the spreaderin a common plane normal to the spreader and intermediate pairs offingers similarly defining article receiving compartments radiallyrelated to the spreader in a common plane vertically spaced from theplane of the firstsaid alternately successive pairs of fingers-acrosshead having stops ex- ;tended between the fingers of each pair inabut- ;ting relation with the lower end of the rod for reciprocalmovement longitudinally of the spreader, the stops extended between thefingers of said alternately successive pairs thereof being in a commonplane and the intermediate stops being in a, common plane elevationallyspaced there- -from correspondingly to the elevational spacing of theplanes of their respective pairs of fingers, a slide block slidablymounted on the rod in spaced relation to the lower end thereof, a pairof arms interconnectingthe crosshead and the slide block inpredetermined spaced relation, a collar mounted on the rod intermediatethe slide block and the lower end of the rod, a compression springmounted in circumscribing relation on the rod between the collar and theslide block .urging the slide block upwardly on the rod to -draw-thecrosshead into engagement with the lower end of the rod, said slideblock having a detent receptacle formed therein, and a resilient .detentmounted in the frame in a position engageable with the detent receptacleat the lower {limit of travel of therodadapted releasably to v restrainthe slide block against upward movement thereof with the rod,

10.--A packing device adapted automatically to place a plurality ofarticles in predetermined relation in-containers therefor comprising anelongated spreader having an enlarged end portion, a plurality of pairsof spaced elongated spring fingers arranged concentrically ofthespreader in a substantially circular pattern, means for simultaneouslyreciprocating the spreader and fingers endwardly between predeterminedloading and packing stations, stops mounted for reciprocal movementlongitudinally between the fingers, resilient means urging the-stopstoward theends ofthe fingers opposite tothe enlarged end of the spreaderand means for restraining the stops against movement during initialreturn move- "ments of the spreader and the fingers from thepackingstation to eject the articles from between the fingers and tothrust the same outwardly by movement of the spreader upwardlytherebetween.

.11 An automatic olive packing device comprising an elongated rod, framemeans mounting the'rod for reciprocal longitudinaltravel betweenpredetermined limits a plurality: of pairs of spaced resilientfingersendwardlyi extended from V the rod concentrically in an 1 annunrarrangement, each pair of fingers being'adapted releasably to hold anolive therebetween in predetermined relation to olives held betweenother pairs of fingers, an ejectonhaving stops disposed between thefingers slidably mounted on the rod for .reciprocal movement: thereonbetween an extended position with the stops adjacent to the ends of thefingers anda retracted position with the stops adjacent to the end ofthe rod from which the fingers are extended, resilient means mounted onthe rod in engagement with the ej ector urging the ejector intoretracted position, said ejector being formed with a catch receptacle ina side thereof, and a resilient catch mounted in the frame means forengagement with the receptacle of the ejector to restrain the ejectoragainst return movement thereof with the rod from the limit of travel inthe directionof finger extension.

12. In an automatic packing device having a support frame, an elongatedrod slidably mounted in a substantially erect position in the frame,driving means connected to the rod for vertical reciprocation thereofbetween predetermined upper and lower limits of travel, spring fingersmounted on the rod for unitary elevational movement therewith in anarrangement concentric to the rod and defining article receivingcompartments therebetween radially related to the rod, a crossheadhaving portions extended between the fingers slidably mounted on thespreader, a slide block slidably mounted on the rod in spaced relationto the lower end thereof, arms interconnecting the crosshead and theslide block in pre determined spaced relation, a collar mounted on therod intermediate the slide block and the lower end of the rod, acompression spring mounted in circumscribing relation on the rod betweenthecollar and the slide block urging the slide block upwardly on therod, said slide block having a detent receptacle formed therein, and aresilient-detent mounted in the frame in a position engageable with thedetent receptacle at the lower limit of travel of the rod.

13. In an automatic packing device having a support frame, an elongatedrod slidablymounted in a substantially erect position in the frame,

driving means connected to the rod for vertical reciprocation thereofbetween predetermined upper and lower limits of travel, cooperativepairs of elongated spring fingers mounted on the rod and downwardlyextended therefrom in a substantially circular arrangement concentric tothe rod, the fingers of each pair being in substantiallysymmetricalrelation to a line radial of the rod passed therebetween, a crossheadhaving portions extended between fingers of each pair slidably mountedon the spreader, a slide block slidably mounted on the rod in upwardlyspaced relation to the lower end thereof, a pair of arms interconnectingthe crosshead and the slide block in predeter- .minedspaced relation,a'collar fixedly mounted on the rod'intermediate the slide blockand thelower end of the rod, a compression spring mounted in circumscribingrelation on the rod between the collar and the slideblock urging theslide blockupwardly on the rod to draw the crosshead into engagementwith the lower end of the rod,

; said slide block having a detent receptacle formed therein, and aresiliently releasable detent mounted in the frame in a positionengageable with ,the detent receptacle at the lower limit of travel ofthe rod adapted to restrain the slide block against upwardmovementthereof with the rod upon upward movement of the rod from the lowerlimit of travel thereof.

14. In an automatic packing device having a support frame, an elongatedrod slidably mounted in a substantially erectposition inv the-framehaving an enlarged lower end portion, driving means connectedto the rodfor vertical reciprocati on; thereof between predetermined upper .Ian'dlower limits of travel, cooperative pairs of elon- 13 gated springfingers mounted on the rod and downwardly extended therefrom in asubstantially annular arrangement, the fingers of each pair being insubstantially symmetrical relation to a line radial to the annulararrangement of the fingers, alternately successive pairs of the fingersin the annular arrangement defining article receiving compartmentsradially related to the annular arrangement in a common plane normal tothe rod and intermediate pairs of fingers similarly defining articlereceiving compartments radially related to the annular arrangement in acommon plane vertically spaced from the plane of the first saidalternately successive pairs of fingers, a crosshead having stopsextended between the fingers of each pair in abutting relation with thelower end of the rod for reciprocal movement longitudinally of thespreader, the stops extended between the fingers of said alternatelysuccessive pairs thereof being in a common plane and the intermediatestops being in a common plane elevationally spaced therefromcorrespondingly to the elevational spacing of the planes of theirrespective pairs of fingers, a slide block slidably mounted on the rodin spaced relation to the lower end thereof, a pair of armsinterconnecting the crosshead and the slide block 14 in predeterminedspaced relation, a collar mounted on the rod intermediate the slideblock and the lower end of the rod, a compression spring mounted incircumscribing relation on the rod between the collar and the slideblock urging the slide block upwardly on the rod to draw the crossheadinto engagement with the lower end of the rod, said slide block having adetent receptacle formed therein, and a resilient detent mounted in theframe in a position engageable with the detent receptacle at the lowerlimit of travel of the rod adapted releasably to restrain the slideblock against upward movement thereof with the rod.

MARSHALL E. FRANCISCO.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date 496,734 Hall et al. May 2, 1893 944,393 Whitney Dec. 28, 19091,043,168 Stiles Nov. 5, 1912 1,246,487 Summers et al Nov. 13, 19171,759,185 Campbell May 20, 1930 2,049,298 Jung July 28, 1936 2,365,930Bayhi et al Dec. 26, 1944

